Sarah O'Connor

I’m writing this while watching the Oscars, because over the past few years I’ve gotten more interested in them, and I really don’t know why.

This also means this blog post will be written in the present but published tomorrow, so really the past. It’s sloppy I guess, and I should just publish it now while I’m watching the Oscars (or at least when they finish), but then I have to edit, and by the time the Oscar’s actually ends (which will be much later than expected, as always) and I’ve scheduled the post and gone to bed, it will only be a few hours to publication. So it really doesn’t matter that much, right?

About three years ago, one of my friends started hosting an Oscar’s Party, which is exactly what you’d expect it to be. We all got together at her house, ate snacks, get spiffied up, and guessed who would win and finding out if we were right.

This year is different. My friend who usually hosts has moved so I’ve been messaging her who the winners are (or at least the ones we’re interested in). There was some talk of hosting somewhere else, but I’m kind of stranded because I got a flat tire, and since I’m one of the few of that group who can drive and has a car, those plans were ultimately cancelled. So I’m watching it at home, and that’s nice in its own way. No need to get dressed up or buy snacks, a simpler kind of party.

A few days before, I heard that to show support for the Time’s Up campaign, those attending the Oscar’s would be wearing black and Time’s Up pins, just like what happened during the Golden Globes. I skipped watching the red carpet, because even though I like gawking at the dresses during the actual awards, I don’t particularly care who they’re by or how much it cost. It’s not like I could afford them anyways.

I’ve only noticed a scattering of black dresses during the ceremony, even less pins. I don’t know if the designers and actors just got the memo late, or if the Academy Awards is just too special an event to wear black and protest at. It’s a night of celebration for many creative folks in Hollywood, a night of glitz and glam and showing off, and I guess black just doesn’t work for it. Still, I won’t deny it’s disappointing. Maybe I’m overthinking it, like I do most things, but I hope it doesn’t mean that the Time’s Up movement is dwindling, that people are already forgetting or getting bored with it. Because really, how hard is it to wear black to an award’s show?

I forgot how many categories I don’t really care about. Like sound editing (which is happening as I write this, the sound editors for Dunkirk won), or documentaries, or some others I’m sure I’ve forgotten. But they seem happy to have won, and I’m not a judge for sound editing or mixing, so how would I know if they deserve to win or not?

Usually, I haven’t seen any of the movies nominated for best picture, but I’ve at least heard of what’s nominated. This year, I saw four of the nine movies nominated for best picture, so I’m hoping one of those four win, though it would be sweet if Get Out won. The only reason I didn’t watch it is because horror movies scare me, but I know what happens (Thanks Wikipedia!) and I know it’s important and I’m surprised it was nominated at all. Plus, how cool would it be if a horror movie won best picture?

Personally, I’d really like Lady Bird to win, just because I enjoyed it so much, because it’s a woman-centered coming of age story, but I already talked about that. If the movie doesn’t win, I’d at least like Greta Gerwig, the director of Lady Bird, to win for best director.

The Shape of Water just won its first award for production design, another movie I watched and enjoyed, and one that has a special place for a lot of people in my city because part of it was filmed here (and Toronto I guess, because that’s the only city they’re going to talk about). Guillermo Del Toro would casually walk around the city, loved the pancakes, and wants to set up a film studio and wants to set up a film studio (DO IT DEL TORO!).

Now they’re singing Remember Me from Coco for best song. Disney usually wins for best animated feature and that usually (but not always) goes hand in hand with best song. I doubt it will win this year, the movie didn’t get the attention it deserved in North America (what the Academy cares about) and performance was kind of meh. Beautiful to watch, and amazingly staged, but I don’t think it wowed the crowd.

A Fantastic Woman won best foreign film and I had to search it because, like most/all of the foreign films nominated. I understand why it got the applause it did. The movie is about a transwoman who’s much older boyfriend dies and the prejudice she faces because of that, and stars a trans-actress who happens to be the first trans presenter at the Academy Awards. I think it shows we’re progressing as a society, even if it’s slow, I believe the world is becoming more accepting, is learning to love more, and I’m happy for that.

They’ve gotten to Best Supporting Actress, which is a category I know and care about. Hoping Allison Janney wins because she did an awesome job in I, Tonya. And she did (YAY I GOT ONE RIGHT!)! I didn’t know this was her first nomination and first win, but it was well deserved!

Best Animated Feature is up now! Will Coco win? IT DID! I’m surprised, but super happy it did. I guess it isn’t too surprising Disney won again, they put a lot of work into their animated features (and kind of own almost everything now, so…) so congrats to Coco!

Side note, because I’m not super interested in these categories and just remembered this: I found out that on top of those who win an Oscar winning and Oscar (which should be enough I think) they also win a swag bag with a ton of expensive stuff in it, and I think a pay raise on future movies they’re cast in. I don’t know everything in the swag bags this year, but I do know there are at least two or three different bottles of pepper spray in them, as well as a drink tester to test if you’re drink has been drugged. It’s from the Time’s Up Movement, and I understand the sentiment, I just don’t know if they’re doing it right. I know they’re trying to be helpful and offering protection, but doesn’t that kind of promote rape culture a bit? Couldn’t they have included something else from the Time’s Up movement? Like a book by a feminist author, heck, maybe even Rose McGowan’s new book?

Salma Hayek and two other women are talking about the Time’s Up Movement, and she’s wearing black talking about the movement, so I’m happy she’s bringing it back to that, remembering it, since she had such a voice in the movement. There’s a whole section on it now, interviewing women and people of colour, focusing on diversity, intersectionality, and the differences that need to come about it. I’m so happy they’re bringing it up now, but why did it take this long in the show to bring up the movement again? Why isn’t this the focus of the night?

Now it’s time for Best Original Screenplay (I skipped writing the ones I didn’t care about, sorry!) and I have no idea who will win it! And it looks like its Jordan Peele! I’m so happy he won his first Oscar, and had no idea he’d been nominated three times!

Welp, I was wrong, “Remember Me” from Coco won for best song! I had no idea that the song writers from Frozen wrote it, so congrats to them! They’re incredibly talented song writers and I’m sure we’ll hear their music in many more Disney films to come!

In Memoriam now, where everyone remembers who died year, and we see who was forgotten on the list. Kind of convenient that it happened after “Remember Me” won, which they’re obviously not playing with the In Memoriam, but it could have worked.

Sidenote: every year they say the Oscars will end at 11 pm and every year it doesn’t. It’s currently past 11 (11:10 pm) so I’m predicting the show will go on at least to 11:30 pm.

WOW THAT SNAP FROM EMMA STONE! “These four men and Greta Gerwig!” Love it! Fingers crossed…

It was Guillermo Del Toro, which is great. First win after a few nominations, but I was really rooting for Greta Gerwig, or at least Jordan Peele. I hope they keep making movies though, and get a chance to be nominated and win for their future creations.

The big awards are coming up now. I think Daniel Day-Lewis will win Best Actor because it’s his last movie, and he wins for everything he’s nominated for. I’d love for Saorise Ronan to win Best Actress, but I don’t think she will. I’d be okay with Sally Hawkins or Margot Robbie winning too though! I don’t know for Best Picture, like I said I would love if it were Lady Bird or Get Out but I think it will be Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri, or The Shape of Water.

Gary Oldman won Best Actor! I didn’t see Darkest Hour but based on the trailer alone it looked like he did an amazing job. I couldn’t believe it was him in the trailer until it said his name. And his first Oscar too, another thing I didn’t know!

Oops it’s 11:30 now! How late will we go? Will we make it to midnight?

Frances McDormand wins Best Actress! I had no idea she won an Oscar before (I haven’t seen Fargo). She did an amazing job in Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri, which was an amazing movie in general. And now she’s asking for all the women nominees in every category to join her on stage! I mean, it seems a little hard to get everyone on stage, but they’re all standing, and she’s promoting women’s stories and inclusion.

Uh oh Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway are back again! What will happen?!

They didn’t mess up (though Beatty had trouble with the envelope again) and The Shape of Water wins Best Picture! I’m upset Lady Bird and Get Out didn’t win, but The Shape of Water was such a good film, I’m so happy for its win.

And that’s the 90th Academy Awards! I don’t know why I care about the Academy Awards now. Maybe it’s because it’s fun to see the sparkles, the glitz and glam of Hollywood while at the same times seeing these sparkling people act so true and so human. They’re just working hard, trying their best, and hoping to succeed like we all are. And yes, they’re unbelievably privileged, but it’s nice to see these people we idolize and follow online act just like us, if only for one night.